Modern computer users are familiar with the use of file templates. File templates allow a user to create a new file with a readymade set of initial properties, instead of starting work on a new file from scratch. One common template is a letter template in a word processing program, such as MICROSOFT WORD®. A user of such a template may first select the appropriate template, which operates to create a new file with desirable file properties. The user may then be prompted to enter data into several fields. For example, the user may fill in an address field, a date field, a salutation field, and so on. After inserting data into the fields, the user may go on to add additional content to the letter, and save it to a desired location. There are presently many kinds of templates available. Letters, resumes, memos, and so forth are commonly created from word processing application templates, while web pages of various styles are created from templates in webpage editing software, and various files created for software applications are generated from templates in Integrated Development Environments (IDEs).
More particularly, with reference to IDE's, note that most modem software is typically created with a great deal of computer automated assistance. Such assistance is commercially available through any of a number of IDEs. For example, MICROSOFT'S VISUAL STUDIO®, BORLAND'S C++ BUILDER®, METROWERK'S CODE WARRIORS®, and IBM'S WEBSPHERE STUDIO® are all products presently available to assist in software creation. Such products provide a range of useful functions, such as templates for creating new files, that may be subsequently adapted to the particular needs of an undertaking. Other IDE functions include coordinating communications between multiple developers working together on large applications, assisting in the actual writing of source code, assisting in specifying how a source code file will be compiled, and providing compilers and other processes that convert source code files and the like into executable files.
While many IDE users are familiar with and commonly use templates, fewer IDE users create their own templates for later use. This is at least in part because the creation of templates in modem IDEs is time-consuming, difficult, and error prone. It involves the creation of at least two, if not more, separate files to instruct a template building engine in the details of desired template properties. A first file may point to a template wizard dialog process which allows user insertion of file properties. A second file provides the code for placing and formatting the user-entered data into the document created from the template. Because the second file is a code file that operates in conjunction with the template building engine, the template building engine is susceptible to attacks, bugs, and malfunction.
The difficulty of creating custom templates in modem IDEs is particularly troublesome in light of the working needs of modem software developers. Developers are a group of computer users who uniquely benefit from the use of templates. Developers understand the details of their own work better than the properties of a factory-provided template. Developers may often work on related software projects, or improvements and optimizations of past projects, that lend themselves to re-use of previously developed code. Redundant coding is highly inefficient and can be frustrating for developers as they reconsider problems that may have already been thought through.
Perhaps more importantly, leveraging past work without a template can be error-prone. When a previously developed file is re-used, the properties of the file must be uniformly updated, or the resulting software may not operate properly. An automated process can offer greater efficiency and accuracy in carrying out such updating. Thus, developers are a group of computer users that derive particular advantage from the use of templates, so the ability to efficiently create new, custom templates is a feature of great advantage in IDE software. In light of the above, there is a need in the industry to simplify the process of creating custom templates in IDEs.